Herbal Essences hair care users nationwide can mail empty bottles to Trenton-based recycler TerraCycle for free through a new program.

Procter & Gamble-owned Herbal Essences has teamed up with TerraCycle to create recyclable shampoo and conditioner bottles made of 25 percent beach plastic in celebration of World Water Day.

    Natural is no longer enough; you need beauty products that are sustainable. We scoured the globe for new ways to green your hair, skin, and makeup routine. Here, the eco-friendly innovations we're most excited about.  

Skincare Treasures From Trash

  In France, the prune d’Ente is as coveted as foie gras, but the pits of the famous dried plums are routinely discarded in the manufacturing process. Enter Tina Hedges, the Jamaican-born founder of LOLI Beauty skincare. “When we started the brand, one of my priorities was to find powerful skincare ingredients that could be repurposed from organic-food-supply waste,” she says. One of her success stories: LOLI’s Plum Elixir, which features the cold-pressed oil of the Ente plum pit; it’s a luxurious, antioxidant-rich moisturizer-from what used to end up in the garbage.  

A Greener Space to Shop

  In the Venn diagram of places beauty enthusiasts shop and places the sustainability crowd frequents, there wasn’t much overlap-until New York City’s Hudson Yards opened this spring. At the heart of the multibuilding complex is a cogeneration plant that recovers wasted heat to make the buildings 70 percent more energy efficient. Plus, nearly 10 million gallons of storm water a year will be collected from building roofs and public plazas to be filtered and reused. This green hub is also a chic shopping destination with beauty stores like Sephora, Kiehl’s, and the Body Shop. There’s even a vegan nail salon, Sundays, where you can slip on headphones and do a guided meditation while you get your manicure. Retail therapy just took on a whole new meaning.    

The New Oil That Saves Trees

  Creating chemical alternatives to plants may seem counterintuitive to the cause, but it’s often the most environmentally responsible option. Green startup C16 Biosciences has developed a lab-grown alternative to palm oil, a popular beauty-product ingredient that often comes from plantations that contribute to deforestation in places like Costa Rica and Indonesia. The biotech firm is relatively new, but representatives say they’re already working with a confidential group of cosmetic companies to replace the palm oil in their products. Green moral of the story: Sometimes saving the planet starts in the lab.  

Shampoo Bottles That Save Beaches

  Tidying up the earth’s coasts can be a dirty job: Environmental-advocacy nonprofit Ocean Conservancy claims it has collected more than 250 million pounds of beach pollution in the past 33 years. Now Herbal Essences is assisting with the task and putting the conservationists’ earth-conscious efforts to good use. In collaboration with TerraCycle, a global leader in recycling hard-to-repurpose materials, the brand has created new bottles-for its White Grapefruit & Mosa Mint, Argan Oil, and Coconut Milk collections-made with 25 percent plastic that has been collected from the coastlines in Canada, Panama, and other polluted spots around the world.  

Creamy Colors That Power Flowers

  Danish makeup artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis is known for her elegant, stunningly packaged line of cosmetics. She’s also an innovator who finds sustainability in the most uncommon places. Case in point: The beeswax in her velvety lipsticks and dewy blushes helps preserve a delicate ecosystem. The brand buys wax from Italian beekeepers, who cart their tiny charges to mountains on the border of France and Italy every summer to gather their nectar in biodynamic flower fields. The bees help pollinate the flowers, and the location ensures they aren’t exposed to any pesticides. Come winter, the harvest of the hives is used to create the rich, ultrapure wax that goes into those dreamy makeup compacts.  

Serums And Cleansers Made Without Water

  The new brand PWDR practices what founder Carrington Snyder calls BYOW, or bring your own water. “If you take water out of a skincare formula, you can take out a whole range of preservatives and emulsifiers, which often come from synthetic sources,” explains the California-based entrepreneur. “And many of those types of ingredients that aren’t good for you aren’t good for the earth either.” Another ecobonus? Powders are lighter than liquids, which cuts down on shipping weight, so less energy is used to transport them. The standout is a sophisticated serum made with concentrated extracts of hyaluronic acid, B vitamins, peptides, and floral extracts; just add water and it transforms into a silky emulsion in seconds.  

Products With Zero Packaging

  Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics bypasses the dilemma of packaging that contributes to landfill waste by selling “naked” skincare. After opening a packaging-free concept store in Milan last year, the company, which was founded in the United Kingdom, realized it was on to something and developed a collection of solid face oils, cleansers, masks, and moisturizers that are sold worldwide-without boxes or bottles.  

Carbon-Neutral Makeup From Vegetables

  Growing up in Mexico with a grandfather who was a medicine man and a mother who turned plants into makeup, Ere Perez was destined to start a holistic beauty line. And after she moved to Australia, that’s exactly what she did, creating a collection of botanical skincare and cosmetics that features all-natural colorants like beetroot and carrot extract. Her company also offsets all the greenhouse-gas emissions produced during its manufacturing process by purchasing credits to fund carbon-neutral energy initiatives. How’s this for a full-circle story: One project her company helps fund is a wind-energy farm in her native country.  

Recycled Bottles That Build Gardens

  You can’t guarantee the plastics you put in your recycling bin actually get recycled. (Some bottles, for example, are rejected by community processing plants if the labels aren’t easily removed.) But Garnier has a solution: Four years ago, it launched a program encouraging consumers to send their bathroom empties to TerraCycle to be cleaned, shredded, and ground into pellets that are turned into building materials. Now Garnier is using the 11 million bottles collected thus far to build garden beds, benches, signs, and trash bins for community gardens. The first green oasis opened in Miami this year, with more coming soon.  

Sheet Masks That Disappear

  Pick a more earth-friendly sheet mask and your self-care Sunday doesn’t have to be selfish. One option: the Body Shop’s Drops of Youth Concentrate Sheet Mask, which features babassu oil from Brazil. The mask is not just biodegradable but compostable too. Let it work its smoothing and plumping magic for 15 minutes, peel it off, then toss the sheet in your compost bin. Even if you use the bin at an organic community garden, you’re still good: The mask has been rigorously tested to ensure it disintegrates without leaving any trace metals or toxins that could affect plants or water.  

Wildcrafted Skincare

  There’s something romantic about the concept of products made from wild-grown and carefully harvested ingredients. And sustainable sourcing can lead to more potent ingredients too: Because wild plants have to fend off pests and survive in extreme climates without the help of pesticides or fertilizers, they may be richer in protective antioxidants than commercially grown versions. Alpyn Beauty uses a complex made with plants from the mountains of Wyoming to create its skin-brightening Plant Genius Survival Serum. And Shea Terra Organics puts tamanu nuts from Madagascar’s Vohibola Forest in its antiaging, skin-healing Tamanu Beauty Oil. Considering that commercial farming is responsible for 70 percent of the water used in the world, these products are truly a low-impact way to glow.

Unilever has announced plans to accelerate its sustainable commitments in North America.   The personal care and household conglomerate, which counts beauty brands Dove, TreSemmé, Tigi and St Ives as part of its portfolio, has unveiled a three-part plan to target plastic use in the US. The first stage of the strategy will see the company endeavor to see 50% of its plastic packaging made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) content by the end of 2019. The second step will see ‘How2Recycle' labels that feature clear recycling instructions incorporated into all packaging by 2021. Finally, the company is teaming up with Walmart on an educational program set to launch later this year titled ‘Bring it to the Bin,' which will encourage and inform shoppers about recycling all packaging, including bathroom products. "Today, we are significantly accelerating our plastic packaging commitments in North America and are thrilled to be working alongside other industry leaders like Walmart to push these initiatives forward," said Unilever North America President Amanda Sourry in a statement, calling for wider efforts in reducing plastic waste across the consumer goods industry. "We need collective action to tackle the problem at the source by working with forward-thinking companies like Walmart, advocating for systemic change in government and recycling facilities, working closely with plastics suppliers, and educating consumers. Only together will we answer the urgent call made by the plastics issue we are facing." Unilever has set itself a global target of making all of its packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by the year 2025, as part of the company's ‘Sustainable Living Plan.' The corporation is not the only major beauty player tackling the issue of plastic pollution: the Procter & Gamble-owned hair care brand Herbal Essences joined forces with the waste management giant TerraCycle last month to launch a series of bottles comprising 25% beach plastic, while REN Clean Skincare has pledged to become completely "zero waste" by the year 2021.

CINCINNATI – Herbal Essences has teamed up with TerraCycle to create recyclable shampoo and conditioner bottles made of 25 per cent beach plastic.   “Plastic floating in our oceans and rivers has been a recent topic for discussion and unless people work to find solutions, it stays just that—a discussion,” says Tom Szaky, TerraCycle CEO.   “By incorporating beach plastic into their bottles, Herbal Essences is showing that they are committed to doing something and leading by example. I look forward to our continued work together to raise awareness and make a bigger difference.”   “Businesses can play an important role in driving and inspiring change in the world,” says Ilaria Resta, North America general manager of P&G Hair Care.   “My team and I are very passionate about driving responsible consumption. Actions like incorporating ocean plastic into our bottles is just one way we are bringing innovative solutions that have a reduced impact on the environment. This is a step towards our long-term vision of using 100 per cent renewable and recycled materials in our products and packaging.”   Three of the Herbal Essences bio:renew Collections  will be available in these innovative, limited-edition Beach Plastic bottles from March to June 2019.   Herbal Essences is continuing to partner with TerraCycle beyond this limited-edition Beach Plastic bottle in a nationwide take-back program to ensure every Herbal Essences bottle can be recycled and not end up in the ocean. The take-back program will begin in time for World Ocean Day on June 8, 2019. Both Herbal Essences and parent company P&G are sponsors of The Ocean Project to grow engagement and action to protect oceans.

Herbal Essences is joining the eco-friendly movement, where the hair care company is cutting back on waste with its packaging. Herbal Essences' Beach Plastic collection uses bottles made with 25 percent recycled plastic cleaned up from beaches. Not only are the bottles made from a percentage of recycled materials, but the bottles directly use the trash that is polluting coastlines.   Eight million tons of plastic waste ends up in rivers, lakes and oceans each year. This waste is often times unable to be recycled, thanks to its exposure to nature. That means that the plastic that's recovered off of sandy beaches and streams is thrown directly into landfills, contributing to the buildup of waste.   In honor of World Water Day, which falls on March 22, Herbal Essences has teamed up with TerraCycle to find a solution to eliminate non-recyclable plastic waste and to bring awareness to plastic pollution. TerraCycle is a recycling company that has made it its specialty to reuse hard-to-recycle materials. The organization collects non-recyclable waste that is a product of pre-consumer and post-consumer debris, and partners with corporations to turn it into raw materials to be used in new products.   “Plastic floating in our oceans and rivers has been a recent topic for discussion and unless people work to find solutions, it stays just that — a discussion,” says Tom Szaky, TerraCycle CEO, in a statement. “By incorporating beach plastic into their bottles, Herbal Essences is showing that they are committed to doing something and leading by example. I look forward to our continued work together to raise awareness and make a bigger difference.”   According to Allure, Herbal Essences estimates that it will save an estimated three tons of beach plastic from ending up in the trash.   Seeing how Herbal Essences delivers its products in plastic bottles, creating a line of shampoos and conditioners in recycled plastic helps to cut down the brand's carbon footprint. The eco-friendly collection also makes shoppers more aware of their role in responsible consumption. While there is a growing number of indie hair care brands that use cardboard boxes that are made from recycled materials to deliver their products, not many mainstream brands have made the switch yet. Herbal Essences switching to bottles that use non-recyclable waste is an innovative alternative to committing to paper packaging.     The Beach Plastic bottles are limited-edition, and will be available from March to June 2019. That doesn't mean that Herbal Essences will end its commitment to becoming more eco-friendly.   "This is a step towards our long-term vision of using 100 percent renewable and recycled materials in our products and packaging," says Ilaria Resta, North America General Manager of P&G Hair Care, in a statement.   As for the actual line, Herbal Essences is re-bottling three collections from the brand's Bio:Renew range, which is free of colorants, parabens and gluten. You will find White Grapefruit & Mosa Mint, Argan Oil, and Coconut Milk in these new recycled bottles. These three repackaged collections will make up the Beach Plastic range.   If you want your beauty routine to become more eco-conscious, using brands that are committed to lowering non-recyclable materials is a great first step.

    Herbal Essences is joining the eco-friendly movement, and we’re loving it.   The brands new ‘Beach Plastic‘ collection uses bottles made with 25 percent recycled plastic cleaned up from beaches. Not only are the bottles made from a percentage of recycled materials, but the bottles directly use the trash that is polluting coastlines!     We all know that ocean pollution — plastic being a major culprit — can wreak havoc on marine life as well as litter beaches. And in a sad twist, a lot of this plastic turns out to be non-recyclable due to levels of dirt and exposure to nature. In other words, organizations that clean up beaches send the plastic straight to the garbage, which will end up in landfill.   This collection all started in honor of World Water Day, which falls on March 22. Herbal Essences teamed up with TerraCycle to find a solution to eliminate non-recyclable plastic waste and to bring awareness to plastic pollution. TerraCycle is a recycling company that has made it its specialty to reuse hard to recycle materials. The organization collects non-recyclable waste that is a product of pre-consumer and post-consumer debris, and partners with corporations to turn it into raw materials to be used in new products.     According to Allure, Herbal Essences estimates that it will save an estimated three tons of beach plastic from ending up in the trash!   Now if you’re wondering about what’s inside of the new and improved bottle, don’t worry – it’s the Herbal Essences you know and love. White Grapefruit & Mosa Mint, Argan Oil, and Coconut Milk are the scents getting an eco-friendly makeover with the Beach Plastic launch.   Remember – after you finish your bottle, rinse it and throw it in the recycling!

Herbal Essences and TerraCycle are joining forces to celebrate World Water Day. Together, the companies have created recyclable shampoo and conditioner bottles that are made of 25% beach plastic. “Plastic floating in our oceans and rivers has been a recent topic for discussion, and unless people work to find solutions, it stays just that — a discussion,” Tom Szaky, TerraCycle’s CEO said. “By incorporating beach plastic into their bottles, Herbal Essences is showing that they are committed to doing something and leading by example. I look forward to our continued work together to raise awareness and make a bigger difference.” The beauty brand, part of the Procter & Gamble portfolio, is looking to make a difference in driving awareness about ocean plastic and how it positively impacts its footprint, the company said. The initiative featues three products from Herbal Essences’ bio:renew collection — white grapefruit & mosa mint, argan oil, and coconut milk — will be available in the limited-edition Beach Plastic bottles, which can be found on store shelves from March to June. “Businesses can play an important role in driving and inspiring change in the world,” Ilaria Resta, North America general manager at P&G Hair Care, said. “My team and I are very passionate about driving responsible consumption. Actions like incorporating ocean plastic into our bottles is just one way we are bringing innovative solutions that have a reduced impact on the environment. This is a step towards our long-term vision of using 100% renewable and recycled materials in our products and packaging.” In addition, the beauty brand and TerraCycle will partner on a nationwide take-back program that will help ensure every Herbal Essences bottle can be recycled and not end up in the ocean. The program will begin in time for World Ocean Day on June 8.